Internal-combustion-engine oil distillator



ec. S, 1929. R. L. sKlNNl-:R

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGIE OIL DISTILLATOR Filed NOV. 50. 1928- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v3. m w

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Dec. 31, 1929. f n.1.. sKlNNER INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE OIL DISTILLATOR Filed Nov. 30. 1928 z s'neetsfsneet 2 .10 and also preferably under a slight Patented Dec. 31, 1922 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH L. SKINNER, OF` DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO` SKINNER AUTOMOTIVE DEVICE CO., INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION F CALIFORNIA INTERNAL-COMBUSTION-ENGINE OIL DISTILLATOB My invention pertains to oil purifying appliances, such as are used in association with internal-combustion engines to free lts 1mpure lubricating oil detrimental contaminating ingred1ents,

as liquid fuel, water, etc.

In devices of this character it is customary to perform the oil rectifying operation under the inuence of heat developed bythe enkgne such mospheric pressure.

When an engine equipped with such a lubricant-reelaimingr apparatus stops, the i feed of impure oil into the rectifier ceases, but

' 15 the parts which have been conducting the engine heat to the oil remain hot for some time and the absence of incoming relatively-cool oil allows the appliance to become suiliciently heated to cause carbonization of the oil retained therein.

One object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty by providing means to continue the feeding of oil into the reclaimer until danger of undesirable results due to the heat is overcome.

Another aim of the invention is to supply a construction which prevents the occurrence p of a thin ilm of oil on a heated surface which .is likely to occasion the production of carbon and which, at the same time, re-

duces the quantity of oil to be heated initially in the apparatus when vthe operation of the engine is started.

In order that the manner of obtaining these and other desirable objects may be understood, in the accompanying drawings illustratingla present and desirable embodiment of the invention, the several parts of the Y appliance has been given the Same reference numerals throughout the several views.

In these' drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the improved distillator showing its connections to the oil pressuresystem, to the carburetor and to the crank-case of the asso ciated engine;

. Figure 2 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section through the thermostatic valve cntrolling the iiow of from objectionable and Application led November 30, 1928. Serial No. 322,647.

oil from the upper storage-receptacle into` the lower vaporizing-chamber;

Figure 4 is a section through the same parts taken at right angles to the view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the same elements; and

'Figure 6 is a detail view-of the vcheck-valve used with the storage-receptacle.

Referring to these drawings, it will be noted the novel appliance includes an externally-inned, metal shell or casing 11 equipped with a base 12 bolted or otherwise fastened` on the apertured top wall of the engine exhaust-manifold 13 with an interposed, heat-insulating gasket 14 between them. y i

The bottom wall of such shell is apertured at 15 in register with the hole 16 through the manifold wall, the aperture 15 having an intermediate, internal rib 17 for a purpose hereinafter indicated.

A plug 18 of highly heat-conductivematerial, such as copper, extends through such aligned or associated holes into the interior of the exhaust-manifold andhence int-o the path of travel of the hot exhaust gases therein, such I ortion of the plug being grooved longitudinally of the manifold to form a number of ad` jacent, parallel, heat-collecting blades or plate sections 19.

The upper, reduced-diameter part 21 of the plug is threaded and a flaring, open-top, metal oil-vessel 22 is screwed firmly thereon with heat-insulation washers 23 and 24 between the shoulder 25 of the plug and the under face of rib 17 and between the to surface of the rib and the bottom of the vessel), the diameter of the threaded shank of the plug being` small enough so that it is out of contact wlth the shell member 11, hence in large measure avoiding heat transference or conduction between the plug and shell and facilitating its direct transmission to the oilvessel for the purpose of heating its contents.

The ytop of the shell, which internally provides a vaporizing-chamber 26, is covered with a sheet-metal tank or oil-storage receptacle 27, the outstanding, marginal flange 28 of which is fastened by screws or otherwise to the top of the shell with an intervening,

cup-shaped, j

heat-insulatin gasket 29 so that the ,heat of the casing or iell will not be carried to the superposed receptacle and its contents.

The impure oil requiring reclamation 1s fed from the pressure oil-lubricating system of the internal combustion engine into thestorage-receptacle 27 through a pipe 31 equipped with a spring-pressed check-valve 32 which opens by reason of the pressure of the incominfr oil toallow its admission into the receptacle and which closes automatically when such pressure is removed, as when the operation of the engine stops, to prevent the draining of the oil out of the receptacle through such pipe.

A centrally-ported, threaded plug 33 extends through the bottom wall of the receptacle and mounted on the plug is a hollow casting 34 fitted with an apertured threaded plug 35 slidingly accommodating the cylindrical shank 36 of a conical-valve 37 cooperating withy the'lower end of the passage 38 through the plug 33,' the valve having an enlargement 39 on which bears one end of a coiled spring 41 encircling the valve-stem and pressing at its other en against an internal shoulder 42 on the member 35, whereby the spring tends to close the port 38, the spring being strong enough to close the valve on its seat on the plug 33 against the maximum pressure which ma exist in the upper receptacle at any time un er any operating conditions of the engine, provided it 1s permitted to do so by the thermostat described hereinbelow.

B reason of its screw-threaded mounting in tlie casting 34, plug 35v may be adjusted to vary the action of the spring, the part 35 being maintained in the desired position by a set-screw 43 in a t-hreaded hole in the side on the casting with an interposed lead insert 44 between the linner end of the set-screw and the threaded side of the plug to prevent v injury to the latter.

rlhe downwardly-protruding portion of the valve-stem extends through registering, center apertures in a pair of reversely-curved, lui-metal, thermostatic elements 45 and 46, each composed of a pair of united., metal strips of substantially diderent coelicients of expansion, such thermostatic members, unitedly constituting a complete multiple thermostat, being constantly immersed in the oil in the continuously-filled oil-vessel and hence always subject to the temperature of such bod of oil.

alve-stem 36 at its lower end has an enlargement or shoulder 47, and, in this connection, it should be observed that, after the valve has closed under the action of its spring, such operation being permitted by the contraction of the multiple thermostat, the latter may contract still more, as shown in Figure 4, without influencing the valve and without detrimental effect on the thermostat itself,

Isuch as subject-ing it to additional strain which would have a tendency to give it a per-- manent set.

The spring referred to is strong enough to close the valve against the maximumnore or less iuctuating oil-pressure in the receptacle 27, due to dilierent operating conditions 0i the engine, and the thermostat, when it opens the valve by its expansion, does so in opposition to the closing tendency of the spring.

Stated differently, the thermostat opens the valve against the spring action, and the spring closes the valve, when allowed to do so, by the thermostat.

To deliver or to direct the oil from the receptacle' 27 into the oil-vessel 22, when the .valve is o en, the hollow interior of the casting, just elow the valve, is supplied with a downwardly inclined discharge passage 48.'

In order to have the thermostat operate to best advantage, it should be substantially rictionless, and, accordingly, the end sections of each duplex-metal bar are reversely i curved or rounded somewhat at 49, so that the two elements have rocking bearings en one another at their ends, eliminating practically all friction at such points.

To hold the two thermostatic-elements in proper relation to one another at all times, and with a minimum of friction, the lower part of casting 34 is formed as a yoke 51, the two parallel arms of which have extensions 52, 52 at one side of the heat-responsive members with knife-edges 53, 53 coacting with the complementary edges of the thermostatic strips, thus precluding them from rotating or turning about the axis of the valve-.stem on which they are mounted, but, at the same time, allowing them to move axially of such stem with very little resistance owing to the knife-edgel contact.

To assure that such thermostatic-members will not become unduly canted on the valvestem, the en ds of the yoke arms are also constituted as Aknife-edges 54, 54, designed, if

occasion requires, to contact with the adjacent thermostatic-element and to prevent the pair from assuming an undue angular relation to the valve-stem in their own plane.

The friction due to such contact is, of course, small -in amount, so that the entire mounting of the' double thermostat may be said to be practically or substantially frictionless.

As the temperature of the oil in the opentcp Vessel increases and transmits such heatl to the immersed thermostat, the upper bimetal or duplex bar arches move upwardly toward' the valve and the companion lower bimetal strip arches in the opposite direction, l

the curved ends of the bars rocking on one another as may be required.

After such combined or conjoint bending has taken up the play' or looseness of the thermosta-t between the end of the screw-plug 35 and the valve-stem head 47, further bendy the receptacle, and,

` is always filled with Istorage-receptacle into the heated oil-vessel in the vaporizing-chamber until the valve closes again.

After the duplex or multiple thermostat has contracted sufficiently, upon decrease of oil temperature 1n the vessel, it lets the spring close the valve against the oil pressure in thereafter, as the temperature further decreases, the thermostat may contract still more without .putting a permanent set in it or otherwise adversely affecting it.

In order to maintain pressure in the storage receptacle 27 when oil is being pumped into it under pressure and to relieve such pressure when the infeed of oil stops, as when the operation of the engine oil-pump terminates, a pipe 55 extends through the bottom wall of the receptacle, its lower end always being open in the vaporizing-chamber, its upper end reaching almost to the top of the storage-receptacle being fitted with a downwardly-closing, spring-pressed, upwardlyopening' check-valve 56, which closes automatically under the pressure occasioned by the oil line pressure 1n pipe 31 and the receptacle and which opens of itself due to its spring, when such pressure is released to allow the continued discharge into the oil-vessel after 'the engine stops. l

The bottom wall of chamber 26 has an upstanding wall 57 at one side terminating at a height at or slightly above the top edge or Vrim of oil-vessel 22 and forming with the main wall of the chamber a vertical passage 58 open at its top end and connecting at its lower end through a passage 59 with an oildelivery pipe 61 leading down tov and discharging into the upper portion of the crankcase 62 of the engine.

Near the bottom of the vaporizing-chamber wall 57 a port 63 is supplied therethrough cooperating with which is a valve 64 mounted on the lower end of a vertically-arranged bimetal thermostat 65 fastened at its upper end in any approved manner to the shell or casing 4 Thus the greater portion of such thermostat is in the oil bath normally surrounding the oil-vessel 22, and whensuch oil is hot, the valve closes the port, opening it when the oil cools off and allowing it to drain down the pipel 61 into the cran -case.

Thus such port when opened constitutes a by-pass around the other passage over the top of the wall 57. l

It is to be understood that the oil-vessel 22 oiland it is desirable first started, that this when the engine is Iquickly heated to body of oil should become initiate the oil ,reclaiming action.

If the vessel 22 were at that time surrounded by an encasing body of oil in the\vapor izing-chamber, both bodies of oil would have to be heated before the purifying and vaporizing action could commence and hence the latter action would be considerably retarded or delayed.

Thus, when the distillator or rectifier cools off upon suspension of operation of the enine, the surrounding body of oil is automatically allowed to draln ofi', and, upon starting the engine again, as soon as the oil in thel vessel 22 -is raised to proper temperature for the gasification or vaporization of its contaminating constituents, it causes the opening of valve 37 and the inflow of oil from storagecompartment, the admission of the latter developing an overflow from the vessel and soon thereafter an encasing bath of hot oil will be accumulated sufficient to immerse the vessel, the valve 64 closing lby reason of the action of the thermostat to accomplish this result.

The reason for normally covering the outer surface of the oil-vessel with a substantial oil bath is to avoid the formation of carbon by a thin film of oil flowing down such heated surface. A

This advantage is temporarily waived, however, to obtain the incipient quick heating of the oil-vessel and its contents.

As soon as the incoming cool oil from the storage-compartment cools down the oil in vessel 22, a small amount, the thermostat acts to close valve 37 and shuto the inflow which is resumed again as soon as the proper temperature is regained.

In order to draw or suck off the air and vapors produced in the distillating or vapori'zing-chamber 26, the upper portion of the latter,`by means of an inclined, open-ended pipe 66 and an associated pipe 67 in conjunction with an intervening connecting passage 68 through the chamber wall, is joined to the main air-intake 69 of the engine carbureter 71, so that the air entering the carbureter creates a minor suction in the chamber 26 whereby to facilitate the vaporizing process, to remove the fuel and moisture vapors driven off and to cause their economic consumption in the engine by becoming admixed with the gaseous fuel mixture created in the carbureter.

To remove objectionable vapors which are present in the engine crank-case and'which have some fuel value and to relieve the high vacuum which would otherwise be produced in the vaporizing-chamber in time, a pipe 72 and an ailiated passage 73 through the chamber wall, connects the interior of the upper part of the crank-case with the upper portion of the vaporizing-chambe'r.

Thus such air, gases, and vapors withdrawn from the crank-case pass through the `vaporizing-chamber limiting the degree of- -vacuum which can occur therein, and pass Iilled entirely with into and becombJ part of the fuel mixture burned in the engine. v

. The degree of suction in the vaporizingchamber is small enough so as not to interfere with the gravity discharge and delivery of the purified oil therefrom.

A peculiarity of the oil in the storage-receptacle is that although there may be an air cushion in it above the-oil ori rinally, the oil seems to have the property of? absorbing the air, so that such compartment is likely to be oi when the engine stops and the valve 32 closes, a `portion ofthe oil in the receptacle might How down into the oil-vessel, the thermostatic-valve 37 being open, but to assure a complete or adequate discharge from the receptacle to make certain the prevention of carbonization in the vaporizing-chamber, the automatically-opening valve 56 is used to equalize or balance substantially the pressures in the two compartments. l The complete operation of the appliance will be readily understood from what precedes, it being apparent that the first heating `of the oil in the vessel is quickly accomplished, that its overheating is avoided, and that the oil is purified and returned to the engine crank-case Without material danger of the production of carbon, due in part to the continuedinflow of oil after the engine stops, thus giving the heated members an opportunity to cool somewhat before the How of incoming oil ends.

Those acquainted With this art will readily understand that the invention is not limited or restricted to the precise and exact details of the structure shown and described, and that these may be modified Within comparatively Wide limits Without departure from Hence,

the heart and essence of the invention and Without the sacrifice of any of its material or substantial benefits and advantages.

I claim: c

1. The combination of a vaporizing chamber, an open-top oil-vessel in said chamber from which the oil is adapted to overfiow into said chamber, means to admit impure oil into said vessel, means to control said admission means, means to heat the oil in said vessel, means to remove gases and vapors from said chamber, means to deliver oil from said chamber at a height to maintain said vessel normally substantially immersed in the overflowed oil, and means governing the delivery of such immersing oilfrom said chamber, such latter delivery discharging a material portion of the vessel-immersing oil from said chamber.

2. The combination of a vaporizing-chamber, an open-top oil-vessel in said chamber fromy which the oil is adapted `to voveriow into said chamber, thermostatically-controlled means to admit impure oil into said vessel, means to heat the oil in said vessel,

normally substantially `immersed in the overiowed oil, and thermostatically-Ico'ntroliled means governing the delivery of such im. mersing oil from said chamber, sucli'latter delivery discharging a material portion of the vessel-immersinu oil from said chamber. 3. In an oil-purifying appliance for internal-combustion engines, the combination of a vapdrizing-chamber, an open-top oil-vessel in said chamber from which the oil is adapted to overflow into said chamber, means to admit impure oil from the lubrication-system of the engine into said vessel, thermostatic mea-ns submerged in the oil of said vessel governing the operation of said oil-admission means,'means to heat lthe oil in said vessel by heat developed by the engine, means op. erated by the engine to remove gases and vapors from said chamber, means to deliver oily from said chamber at a height to maintain said vessel'normally substantially immersed in the oil overflowed from said vessel, and means controlled by the temperature of the overfiowed oil in said chamber governing its delivery from the chamber, such latter deliv ery discharging-a material portion of the vessel-immersing oil from said chamber.I

4. In an oil-purifying appliance for internal-combustion engines, the combination of a vaporizing-cliamber, an open-top oil-vessel iii said chamber from which theoil is adapted to overfiow into said chamber, means to admit impure oil from the lubrication-system of the engine into said vessel, thermostatic means submerged'in the oil of said vessel governing the operation of said oil-admission means, a vessel-heating plug connected to said vessel and adapted to extend into the path of travel of the engine exhaust-gases, means operated by the suction of the fuel-intake of the engine to remove gases and vapors from 'said chamber, means todeliver oil from said chamber to the engine lubrication-system* at a height to maintain said vessel substantially immersed in the oil overflowed from said vessel, and means controlled by the temperature ofthe oil in said chamber governing the-delivery ofthe overowed oil from the chamber to the lubrication-system of the engine, such latter delivery discharging a material portion of the vessel--iinmersing oil from said chamber.

5. In an oil-purifying appliance,I the coinbination of an oil-storage receptacle, means to deliver impure lubricating oil by and from an internal-combustion engine into said receptacle, a vaporizing-chamber, means to heat oil in said chamber by the heat of the engine, means controlled by the temperature of the oil in said chamber governin the feed of oil from said storage-receptacle into said vaporizing-chamber, means to remove gases and means to deliver .oil from saidy iiok vapors from said chamber, and means to deliver the purified oil. from said chamber, whereby the relatively-cool stored oil by flowing into said chamber after the operation of the'engine has ceased tends to prevent carbonization of the oil therein.

6. In Van oil-purifying appliance, the combination of an oil-storage receptacle, means to deliver impure lubricating oil by and from an internal-combustion engine into said receptacle, a vaporiZing-chamber lower than said storage receptacle, means to heat oil inl said chamber by the heat of the engine, means controlled by the temperature of the oil in Said chamber governing the gravity feed of oil from said storage-receptacle intosaid vaporizing-chamber, means to remove gases and vapors from said chamber, and means to deliver the puriied oil from said chamber, whereby the relatively-cool stored oil by flowing into said chamber after the operation of the engine has ceased tends to prevent carbonization of the oil therein.

7. In an oil-purifying appliance, the combination of an oilstorage receptacle, means to deliver impure lubricating oil by and fromvan internal-combustion engine into said receptacle, a vaporizing-chamber lower than said storage-receptacle, means to heat oil in said chamber by the heat of the engine, means controlled by the temperature of the oil in said chamber governing the gravity feed of oil from said storage-receptacle into said vaporizing-chamber, means to remove gases and vapors from said chamber, means to ydeliver the purified oil from said chamber, and means to substantially balance the pressures in said receptacle and chamber upon cessation of operation of the engine, whereby the relatively'- cool stored oil by flowing into said chamber after the operation of the engine has stopped tends to prevent carbonization of the oily therein. p

8. In an oil-purifying appliance, the combination of an oil-storage receptacle, means to deliver impure lubricating oil by and from an internal-combustion engine into said receptacle, a vaporizing-chamberlower than said storage-receptacle, means to heat oil in said chamber by the he'at of the engine, means controlled by the temperature of the oil 'in said chamber governing the gravity feed of oil from said storage-receptacle into said vay means to remove gases and means to deliver the purified oil from said chamber, and a spring-opening pressure-closed check-valve between said receptacle and chamber which porizing-chamber, vapors from said chamber,

' opens automatically. when the engine stops to pressures 1n said whereby the relalowing into said substantially balance the receptacle and chamber, tively-cool `stored oil by chamber after the operation of the engine has ceased tends to prevent carbonization rof the oil therein. y

the engine,

9. In an oil-purifying appliance, the combination lof an. oil-storage receptacle, means to deliver impure lubricating oil by and from an internal-combustion engine into said receptacle, a vaporizing chamber, an open-top oil-vessel in said chamber from which the oil is adapted to overflow into said chamber, means to heat oil in said vessel by the heat of means controlled by the temperature of the oil in said vessel governing the gravity feed of oil from said storage-receptacle into said vessel, means to remove gases and vapors from said chamber, means to deliver oil from said chamber at a height to keep said vessel normally substantially immersed 1n the overlowed oil, and means governing the delivery from said chamber,

vtion of the oil.

In witness whereof I havehereunto set my hand.

RALPH L. SKINNER. 

